Living Instead of Existing: Having Fun Losing 277 Pounds

In February 2012, Rhonda Martin weighed 457 pounds. Today, she’s down to 180 pounds and she’s completely changed her life.

“I have energy,” she says. “I have my life back. I can go out and enjoy life. It’s just a whole other world for me.”

When she was overweight, Rhonda’s life was very limited. She would go to work and back and that was about it. She was physically unable to be part of the world around her. After 150 steps, she would be out of breath and completely exhausted.

“I became kind of a hermit,” she remembers. “I just stayed home. I had a lot of acquaintances but no friends. I was very sad. I was lonely and isolated but at that point I didn’t think I had any other choice.”

Rhonda tried every diet plan, supplement, and program imaginable to lose weight. “I was desperate,” she says. “You name it, I’ve done it.”

None of these things worked for her and it was absolutely devastating. With each new failure, she would feel ashamed and beat herself up.

Then she tried a Pedego Electric Bike.

“The first time I rode a Pedego, it was freedom to me. It was back to being a kid again. It was the best feeling I’d felt in a long time. The smile I had on my face when I got back — I swear I had it for days.”

Because her mobility was so limited, the Pedego was a perfect stepping stone to becoming active again. It empowered her to get some exercise, fresh air, and social interaction — and it was fun. “Riding my Pedego was something that I wanted to continue to do. It wasn’t something I dreaded. It wasn’t a chore. It was just enjoyment for me.”

Today, Rhonda uses her Pedego to commute to work (a 38 mile round trip that she calls her “happy place”) as an alternative form of transportation for short errands and for recreational rides with her husband.

“It’s not about the weight I’ve lost,” she says. “It’s about the life that I’ve gained. I was merely existing and today I’m truly living my life.”

“Riding my Pedego was something that I wanted to continue to do. It wasn’t something I dreaded. It wasn’t a chore. It was just enjoyment for me.”